Apparatus and Method for the Follow-Up Treatment of Container Products

Abstract

Disclosed is an apparatus for the follow-up treatment, in particular cooling, of container products, which are produced by means of a blow-moulding, filling and closing process, and which can be fed to a follow-up treatment zone, which has an influencing effect, in particular a cooling effect, on the respective container product. The container products enter the follow-up treatment zone singly separate from one another or together in individual groups separate from one another comprising multiple container products. The follow up treatment zone is provided with at least one control means, acting on the container products and determining the time for which they stay in the follow-up treatment zone.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A apparatus for post-treating, particularly for cooling, container products that are produced by a blow moulding, filling and sealing process, and that can be supplied to a post-treatment zone that applies an influential, particularly cooling action to the respective container product, wherein the container products, individually, separated from one another, or combined in individual separate groups comprising a plurality of container products, enter the post-treatment zone, which, furnished with at least one control means acting on the container products, determine the length of stay of said container products in the post-treatment zone. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein, in a production step preceding post-treatment, the respective container product is at least partially separated from a waste frame arising during production by means of a separation or punching apparatus. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the container products pass through the post-treatment zone with the aid of gravity until the respective control means starts to take effect on the container products. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the post-treatment zone comprises at least one through shaft for transferring through the container products, which, using the respective control means, enables or prevents the outward transfer operation from the through shaft for the container products. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the post-treatment zone comprises, along a fall line for the container products, a plurality of through shafts arranged behind one another with the individual control means. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the respective through shaft is configured as a chamber, which is open at its free end faces, which are opposite one another, for transferring through the container products, wherein the bottom opening can be sealed by the control means, and wherein the container walls, which are opposite one another, of the container products are transferred through, along the adjacent chamber walls of the respective chamber with an average spacing that can be pre-defined. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein each chamber comprises at least one inlet for a tempering medium, such as a cooling fluid. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein a plurality of inlet nozzles are fitted in parallel with the respective chamber walls of a chamber, said inlet nozzles extending through the chamber wall with their delivery side and as such introducing the tempering medium into the through space of the chamber. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the respective chamber volume of a chamber is no larger than 30 times the volume of the respective container product. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the respective through shaft can be moved between a transfer position for transferring in the container products and a transfer position for transferring out said products by a displacement device. 
     
     
         23 . A method for post-treating container products, particularly those produced by a blow moulding, filling and sealing process, wherein the container products are admitted to a post-treatment zone individually or combined in groups, and wherein the length of stay of the respective container products in the post-treatment zone is pre-defined by at least one control means ( 30 ). 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein a tempering medium is admitted intermittently into the post-treatment zone. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein, in a production step preceding post-treatment, the respective container product is at least partially separated from a waste frame arising during production by means of a separation or punching apparatus. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the container products pass through the post-treatment zone with the aid of gravity, until the respective control means starts to take effect on the container products. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the post-treatment zone comprises at least one through shaft for transferring through the container products, which, using the respective control means, enables or prevents the outward transfer operation from the through shaft for the container products. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the post-treatment zone comprises, along a fall line for the container products, a plurality of through shafts arranged behind one another with the individual control means. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the respective through shaft is configured as a chamber, which is open at its free end faces, which are opposite one another, for transferring through the container products, wherein the bottom opening can be sealed by the control means, and wherein the container walls, which are opposite one another, of the container products are transferred through, along the adjacent chamber walls of the respective chamber with an average spacing that can be pre-defined. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein each chamber comprises at least one inlet for a tempering medium, such as a cooling fluid. 
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein a plurality of inlet nozzles are fitted in parallel with the respective chamber walls of a chamber, said inlet nozzles extending through the chamber wall with their delivery side and as such introducing the tempering medium into the through space of the chamber at a point at which the container products are held in the chamber by the control means in such a way that the tempering medium is in contact with the container product and/or the container content. 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein the tempering medium is in contact with the container product and/or the container content close to the bottom of the container product and/or at a right angle.